2012-02-14 - Getmetal Interview
Jimmie Strimell was interviewed by Swedish website Getmetal, and it was published on February 14, 2012. The main topics discussed were Eurovision Song Contest, Death Destruction, latest album Incomparable, Zandro Santiago etcetera. Script : The interview was done in Swedish and is therefore translated into English. I've interviewed one of Gothenburg's ESC contributions in the form of the band Dead By April and the singer/growler Jimmie Strimell by phone. He's in addition to having gone on in the aforementioned contest also in another band called Death Destruction, therefore I picked Jimmie to do the interview instead of the other guys in the band. The interview went pretty quickly because he was a bit stressed by the tattoo artist he sat with as he wanted to get going, but I think I got good response from him. Q: Now it's a few months ago your second album Incomparable was released, how has it been received? Jimmie Strimell: It's been really good, the fans have written a lot on Facebook and so, and have been really happy. Personally, I think this album is better than the first. Q: Both of your guitarists left the band after your first record release, but Pontus is still there as a songwriter, producer and live guitarist, then why did he leave the band when he is still so involved? Jimmie Strimell: I think you have gotten the information a little wrong there. Johan was fired, him and me didn't work very well together, so they had to choose between him and me, and they chose me. Pontus's been with us again for 1.5 years now, but it may well not have been so officially. Q: You also recruited Zandro Santiago on vocals, were did you find him? Jimmie Strimell: Yes, we've known him since before, he has worked with Pontus. He has recorded a lot of demos in a studio in Norway and he has also been in a band previously named Misty Mono. And I think he and I have the same vocal style, so we thought he was a good fit into the band. Q: You had your breakthrough with your 2009 self-titled album. You have been called all sorts of things in the media, how would you describe your music? Jimmie Strimell: Pop-metal/boyband is what we call it ourselves. Q: You were the paus break entertainment last year and this year you are in the actual Eurovision Song Contest, do you think it is the right forum for the band? Jimmie Strimell: Absolutely not! But Christer Björkman, who is in charge of it all wanted someone different. He wanted something extreme, so that it will not be the same thing year after year, so he asked us. Q: I must say congratulations and how does it feel that you won the first round? Jimmie Strimell: Thanks, it's been really successful. There has never been any bands with growls and so before. People have turned their backs when theyhear music like that, but now it feels like it's more accepted. Q: Do you have any plans to play more out in the world, across the Atlantic, perhaps? Jimmie Strimell: Yes, we're going over in U.S. to a festival called West Village West, which is in Texas, and we'll also play some shows in the area. Then we're off for a Europe-tour and festivals during the summer. This fall will be a bit of Europe again, then 6 gigs in the U.S. and 5-7 in South America. Q: You have also started the band Death Destruction with current and former members of Hammerfall and Evergrey. Do you have time to release music and tour with both bands? ''' '''Jimmie Strimell: We are on the same management with the bands, so it's their job to fix this. But it gets from tour to tour, you could say. Q: In Death Destruction it's slightly heavier music and only growl instead of growling and singing like in Dead By April, what do you like best about yourself? Jimmie Strimell: Actually, it's not that much heavier, it is more 70's inspired, but it might not have been heard on the first songs, it will probably be more heard on the upcoming album. It'll sound like anything from AC / DC to LOK and Rage Against The Machine. And growl is more my thing, I've been doing it since I was 16 years old, but we split the clean vocals between me and Zandro, we are both singing both at the record and live. Q: Are you self-taught as a growler? Jimmie Strimell: Yes, I am self-taught! Q: You have also been a member of Nightrage and released one album with them, why was there only one? Jimmie Strimell: It didn't work out like it does in bands sometimes, nothing ever happened. Then I started Dead By April with Pontus and it felt like it was more my thing, so then it became so. Q: How is the cohesion among metal musicians in Gothenburg, on the whole, as a right-sized family? Jimmie Strimell: Absolutely, it's very special here. Everyone knows each other, the guys in Death Destruction are buddies with In Flames and you really know everyone in Sweden, it's like a right big family. In Flames paid and actually let us in Death Destruction record our record in their studio, so I want to give a big thanks to the guys in In Flames! Q: What did you listen to yourself while growing up? Jimmie Strimell: Pantera! The one I looked up to most when it comes to growl's Pantera's Phil Anselmo! But otherwise it was all grunge bands that existed and bands like Limb Bizkit, Korn, Slipknot, Machine Head and Meshuggah. Q: Now, while you're sitting at the tattoo artist, what are you doing now? Jimmie Strimell: I am currently sitting at Gothia Inc Tattoo in Gothenburg, and the tattooist is Kröli. I'll finish the two skulls that I have on the collarbone. Q: Finally, do you have any last words for our readers on GetMetal.com? Jimmie Strimell: Hope to see you at the next gig! Please come over at signings and stuff! http://www.getmetal.com/?p=9850 Sources